Dipper for semisolid materials



May 27, 1930.v M. E. MILLLER DIPPER FOR smusomn MATERIALS Filed Nov. 5, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 27, 193i M. E, MILLLER Filed Nov. 5. 1926 DIPPER FOR SEMI SOLID MATERIALS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 27, 1930 MONROE n. MILLER, onwAsnineron, DISTRIGT or COLUMBIA DIPPER FOR SEMISOLID MATERiALS Application filed November 5, 1926. sw m). 14 ,437.

The presentinvention relates to clippers orscoops for dispensing ice cream or other seini-selld materials, and 18 particularly an improvement over the dipper disclosed in Serial No. 132,869,.

my copending application liled August31, 1926. v

One object of the invention is the provision in coiiibinatioiiwith a top or stripping plate and scoop blades slidable downwardly and upwardly relatively to said plate to be projectedbelow and retracted above said plate, oi noveimeans for manipulating said plate and blades in a'convenient and facile manner for dipping or scooping the 'inateunder terial. a i

A 'further-objectis the provision of loclzing means whereby theltop or stripping plate and scoop blades maybe locked or latcherl in rial from bulk and depositingsame ina pail or otherreeeptacle in a neat manner and in predetermined form and quantity. i i i w Another ob ect -s the provision {of such a device having springmeans so arranged.

that when the scoop blades are forced or thrust 111130 the material (the top plate 18 the r a ted andprojectedpositions of the blades. n i a i i M pressnre to assist in packing the inai below and retracted above thelower surface intended. Fiat scoop blades blades in projected position, portions ofthe blades being broken away. i F ig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation of the sliding handle member or tubeshowing the slot therein. I r i Fig. 4L is a section on the line i40f Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a sect-ion on the line 55 of Fig. 0- illustrating another form of dipper embodying the improvements, with niodifications. 1 Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5: Referring to Figs. 1-4, the dipper shown therein employs metal castings for some of the parts, whereas, as will hereinafter more fully appear, the other form of device illns trated is composed chiefly of sheet metal.

The top or stripping plate 7, as shown, is a casting, and is of at size and shape to correspond :with that of the mouth of the pail or receptacle for which the dipper is 8 of thin stiff sheet metal are slidable across the upwardly V flanged edges of the plate 7 to be projectedof said plate. There are four blades 8 and size and shape as to conform to the walls of an ordinary ice cream pail having the:

. tion proceeds, the invention resides in" the 1 construction and arrangement of parts'as understood that changes can beinade within the scopeof what is clai1ned,;without de parting from the spirit ofztheinvention. h

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawingsy wherein- Figure l of oneform of dippergeinbodying the iinprovements; portions being shown :in elevation andportions beingbrokenaway, Wlth the scoop .bla'desv shownf in retracted posiside elevationshowing the scoop a shape of the inverted fr'ustrum of a Wotan- With the -foregoing and other objects. view, which willbe apparent as the descrip The plate? has upstandingthreadedsockets or bosses 10 into which are screw-thread ed or otherwise secured the upwardly.diverg ing guide rods 12, one for each blade 8,. and said rods are spaced inwardly from the:

V 5 margin of the plate 7 and from the .blades8. 1s a. medium longitudinal section 5 The rods 12 areparalleliwith :the correspond ing blades 8 ,and are connected at their ups;

the arms of the spider and being secured i therein n any suitable manner: ,The rods 12 andspider 13 forma rigid shank for the plate NT FFICE 7, the spider 13 being cast from suitable metal.

Web plates 14, which are also castings, are provided for the upper ends of the blades, and have upstanding inclined sleeves or slides 15 slidable upwardly and downwardly on the rods 12, for guiding the blades 8 for proper upward and downward movement in their inclined planes. The plates 1 1 have upstanding fianges 17 overlapped by the upper ends of the blades and to, which the blades are secured by rivets 18 or other securing means. The blades 8 bearing against the margin of the plate 7 will prevent the blades and sleeves or slides 15 from turning on the rods 12.

In order to manipulate the plate 7 and blades 8 a sliding handle member or tube 19 is slidable vertically through a central aperture in the spider 13, and has asuitable handle 20 secured on the upper terminal thereof. The tube 19 is slid downwardly and upwardly through the spider 13 for projecting and retracting the blades 8 with reference to the late 7. For this purpose, a disk or flange 21 1s screw-threaded or otherwise secured on the lower terminal of the tube 19 and is received between pairs of lugs 22 extending inwardly from the sleeves 15, thereby sliding said sleeves as well as the blades 8 upwardly and downwardly with the tube 19 and handle 20, the disk 21 being slidable in the slots between the lugs 22 when the parts move upwardly and downwardly, it being noted that the sleeves 15 move obliquely relatively to the line of movement of the tube 19.

A central guide rod 23 has its lower end screw-threaded into a socket or boss on the plate 7, the same as the rods 12, and projects through the spider 13- into the tube 19, to as-, sist in guiding said tube as well as to strengthen the construction so as to prevent the tube 19 being bent or displaced transversely. If the portion of the spider 13 throu h which the tube 19 extends is 'sufficiently long, the rod 23 may be omitted.

In order to apply spring pressure to the plate 7 when the blades 8 are projected into the material, a coiled wire spring 2 1 is enclosed within the tube19 and is confined betweenthe upper end of the rod 23 and. a cap screw 25 threaded into the upper terminal of the tube 19 over the handle 20. If the rod 23 is omitted the spring 24 may be longer so as to seat ona pin 26 that extendsthrough the spider 13 and tube 19. Thus, when the tube 19 is slid downwardly through the spider 13 for projecting .the blades 8 below the plate 7, the spring 24 is compressed and exerts downwardpressure on the plate .7 so that the plate is subjected to such pressure, there- "by pressing the plate 7 against the, material 1 facilitate t e retraction of the blades 8, as will hereinafter, more fully appear, but the,

for packing same during the dipping or scooping o eration. The .springwill also extends, thereby permitting the tube to slide v longitudinally, and the ends of the slots 27 are extended transversely of the tube 19, as at 28, so that when the tube 19 is said to either completely retract or project the blades 8, the tube 19 may be turned so that the latch pin 26 enters the corresponding transverse ends of' the slots, thereby locking or latching the tube 19 and spider 13 against relative longitudinal or vertical movement, which will lock or latch the plate 7 and blades 8 in the corresponding position. The ends of the slots 27 are preferably formed with notches 29 to receive the pin 26 under the influence of the spring 24 to prevent the too-free turning movement of the tube 19 when the parts are in locked or latched position. i

The ends of the arms of the spider 13 are preferably concaved or otherwise formed, as at 30, to form linger holds in order that the spider may be held conveniently in the hand as a handle to assist in manipulating the device. As shown, the central portion of the spider is dropped or oflsetdownwardly to provide a more compact arrangement and to permit the handle 20 to move downwardly closer to the plate 7, as seen in Fig. 2, than if the spider were located entirely in the plane of the upper ends of the rods 12.

In operation the handle 20 is grasped in one hand, with the blades 8 in retracted position, as seen in Fig. 1, and the device may then be readily manipulated. By turning the tube 19 so as to engage the lower ends 28 of the slots 27 with the pin 26, the handle member or tube 19 is locked to the spider 13, and the handle 20 may then be manipulated so that the'plate 7 may pack the icecream or other material down, especially if the surface of the material is irregular from previous dippings taken therefrom, and the device may also be used for pushing or scraping the material down along the sides of a can or other container. Then, by turning the hanas to apply spring pressure to the plate 7, i

in order that said plate will pack the material during the entry of the blades 8 into the material. When the blades have been completely projected into the material below the plate 7, the handle 20 may be turned slightly so that the upper ends 28 of the slots 27 engage the pin 26, which will lock the parts together, with the blades 8 projected, and the spring 24 compressed. The device may then be readily manipulated for lifting the same TOP i 1 to whichthewbladesil are secured by rivets from the material, and if tliematerial does notbreak ofi even with the lower ends oft-he blades containing the block or mass of mate r al of predetermined form and size are then blades 8 the device may be pushed down into the material for fillingthe slight cavity that may exist, or surplus material below the lower ends of the blades may be scraped off; i The placed in the'pail or'receptaole for which the dipper is intended, and by holding the spider 13between the thumb and fingers, this will i hold the plate7down on the material, and byturning the handle slightly, the parts are unlocked or-released, so that the spring 24 will slide the tube 19 and blades 8 upwardly. Thiswill automatically retract the blades 8 from the pail'or receptacle, and the plate 7 holding the material downin the pail or receptacle will strip the material from the blades as they are retracted.

The material may also be discharged from the dipper by holding the handle 20 with the blades 8 and material above the receptacle,

and by turning the handle '28 slightly so as to release the parts, the spring 24 will force the plate 7 downwardly,thereby ejecting the material from the bladesdownwardly into the receptacle. Q i

The device may also be used without the spring 24, in which event the spider 13 mayand handle to retract/the blades 8.

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate a diiierent construction wherein, with the exception ofthe handle member or tube, handle and minor parts, the device is constructed chiefly from sheet metal or die stainpings. J Thus, the-plate 7 and Web plates lgt are of sheet metalfand the i guideiarms 12" which are connected at their upper ends by the yoke 13 are bent from a bar or'sti'i-p ofmetal, and the arms 12 have the feetl'10"attheirlower ends riveted or otherwise secured on the plate 7.

The scoop 'blades8 are similarto those disclosedin the aforesaid copending application SerialNo. 132,869, inthat there are only two blades for foursided pail orrecep- 1 tacle, each blade being composed of the wings 9arranged at a right angle with one another, andthe guide arms 12 arelocatedinsuch inclined positions as to be parallelyto the lines of intersection of the planes of thewings 9 .w 1 The blades 8 are thus disposed astride diagonally opposite corners of the plate 7.

The web plateslt have upturnedfianges 17 18 or otherwise. i

The slides 15'fwhich are secured platesll andiwhich move upwardly and dowhwardlykonthe arms12 are stamped out of sheet metal. Each slide 15 comprises the doubled brace portion 31 having the opposite doubled or bent back portions 32f itting astride the edge portions of the arm 12,and the brace portion 31 has outstanding ears or feet 33 at its lower end riveted or otherwise secured on the plate 14. The slides 15 are slidable freely upwardly and downwardly on the guide arms 12 so-as to guide the blades 8 for proper upward and downward movement with the Wings 9 moving in their inclined planes. i i v The handle member or tube 19"slides upwardly anddownwardly throughan aperture in the yoke 13, and a handle 20 is secured. on the upper terminal of said tube The connection between the tube 19 and plates 14 includes a disk 21 secured'to the lower end ofthe tube 19, such as by means of an upstandingboss 34 on the disk secured within the lower end of the tube. The plates 14 have upstanding flanges-22 along their inner diagonal edges, and said flanges are provided with slots through which the disk 21 extends, with the disk 2l overlap" ping the plates 14 sons to push the plates 14 and blades 8 downwardly withthe tube 19. The portions of the flanges 22"over the slots 35 extend across the disk 21" so as to raise the llades 8' with the handle, and said portions ottthe flanges are ofl set,as at- 36, so as to accommodate the lower end of the tube 19 When the parts move together with the blades 8 projected.

A l J-shaped or dropped bracing guide 23, formed from a bar or strip of metal, has its upper terminals secured to the yoke 13 underneath same by rivets 37 and 38 or other securing elements, and the lower intermediateportion of said guide 23 has an aperture through which the tube 19 extends. The bracing guide 28 will assist in' guiding the a tube 19" aswell as preventingsaidtube from being displaced out. of its axial position. The coiled sprmg 242" within the tube 19 confined between a pin 25 extending through theupper portion of the tube 19 and a pin 26 extending through' the slots 27" of the tube 19'. The pin-26 is secured to the" guide 23' in any suitable manner, such as by bending the ends of the pins across the edges 01'? said guide. "The slots 27 are straight from end to end so as to prevent the turning movement of the tube 19 relatively to the other parts, which will enable the dipper head to be turned in the material if desired when manipulating the dipper. l

A latch or catch 28 isimounted on the yoke 13:-,to engage-in notches 29 with which the tube" 19 is provided. A finger pioce30" is V secured on the yoke 18 by means of the rivet 37, as shownyand thelatch 28 has an upstanding finger piece 30 at the opposite extremity of the yoke l3' so that the finger ieces 30 and 30' may be conveniently held )etween the thumb and fingers. The latch 28 has an opening 39 through which the tube 19 extends, and has a slot 40 receiving the rivet 38, so that the rivet assists in holding the latch in place. The inner end of the latch 28' is slidable under the portion All of the finger piece 30 which also houses a spring 42 that moves the latch 28' into the notches 29.

In using the device shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the latch28 entering the lower notch 29 will lock the parts with the blades 8 retracted, and b pressing the finger pieces 30 and 30" toget er, the latch 28' is disengaged w from the tube 19, permitting the tube to be slid downwardly toward the plate?" for pro- 'ecting the blades. When the blades have been completely projected the spring 42 moves the latch 28 into the upper notch 29, 0 to latch the parts together with the blades 8 projected. The device may then be sup ported by holding the finger pieces 30 and 30" between the thumb and fingers and when the blades 8' and material are placed in the go receptacle, pressure on the finger pieces 30 and 30" will disengage the latch 28 from the tube 19', so that the tube in being released will result-in the spring 24 retracting the blades 8 from the material and receptacle.

so The spring 24, however, may be omitted when the spring pressure on the plate 7 and spring retraction of the blades is not wanted.

In the second embodiment of the invention the finger piece or handle member 30 is mmovable relatively to the handle for latching and unlatching the parts of the dipper with the blades in either projected or retracted position, whereas in the first form of dipper shown in Figs; 14 the'handle 20 is turned or moved relatively to the finger holds or handle portions for latching and unlatching the parts, the pin 26 serving as a latch for the engagement of the 7 tube 19. I

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is p 1. A dipper comprising a top plate, a scoop blade slidable relatively to the top plate to projected and retracted positions, a yoke 5g member attached to said top plate,'a handle member slidable in said yoke member and connected to said blade, and latching means carriodby the yoke memberto engage the handle member. n

2. A dipper comprising a top'plate, a scoop blade slidable relatively to the top plate to projected and retracted positions, a yoke member attached to said top plate, a handle memberslidable in said yoke member and c9, connected to said blade, latching means carried by the yoke member to engage the handle member, and spring means between said yoke and handle members to move said blade to retracted position. I

$3 3. A dipper comprising a top plate, a scoop blade slidable relatively thereto, a yoke member attached to said top plate, a tubular handle member slidable in said yoke member and connected to said blade, and a spring within the handle member and confined between said yoke and handle members to retract the blade.

4. A dipper comprising a top plate, a scoop blade slidable relatively thereto, a yoke member attached to said top plate, a. tubular handle member slidable in said yoke member and connected to said blade, a spring within the handle member and confined between said yoke and handle members to retract the blade, and a latch mounted on said yokemember to engage the handle member.

5. A dipper comprising a top plate, guide arms secured thereto, a yoke connecting the arms, scoop blades slidable relatively to the top plate to projected and retracted positions, slides movable on said guide arms and connected to the scoop blades, and a handle member slidable through the yoke and having a connection with said slides to move therewith. c

6. A dipper comprising a top plate, guide arms secured thereto, a yoke connecting the arms, scoop blades slidable relatively tothe top plate to projected and retracted positions, slides movable on said guide arms and connected to the scoop blades, a. handle member slidable through the yoke and having a connection with said slides to move therewith,

and means for latching the handle member an d yoke together.

7. A dipper comprising a top plate, guide arms secured thereto, a yoke connecting the arms, scoop blades slidablerelatively to the top plate to projected and retracted positions, slides movable on said guide arms and connected to the scoop blades, a handle member slidable through the yoke and having a connection with said slides to move therewith, and means for latching the handle member and yoke together in either the projected or retractedposition of the blades.

.8. A dipper comprising a top plate, guide arms secured thereto, a yoke connecting said arms, scoop blades slidable relatively to the top plate to projected and retracted positions, slides movable on said arms and corn nected to the scoop'blades, a tubular handle member slidable through the yoke and having a connection with the slides to move therewith, and a spring in said handle member arranged to exert pressure on the top plate when the handle member is moved toward the top plate.

9. A dipper comprising a top plate, guide arms secured thereto, a yoke connecting said arms, scoop blades slidable relatively to the top plate to projected and retracted positions, slides movable on said arms and connected to the scoop blades, a tubular handle member slidable throughthe yoke and having a connection with the slides to move therewith, a

spring in said handle member arranged to exert pressure on the topplate when the ham die member is moved toward the top plate and tending to move the handle member away similar pail having the shape of the frustrum of a rectangular pyramid, and means above said plate between said plate and blade for guiding the blade for upward and downward movement relatively to said plate along the inclined line of intersection of the planes or" said wings.

ll. Adipper comprisingatop plate, a scoop blade slidable relatively to said top plate to be projected below and retracted above said plate and having two fiat wings arranged an angle to one another and whose side edges are stralght and converge toward the lower end of the blade so as to correspond with the corners of the side edges of two adjacent side walls of an icecream or similar pail having a the shape of the Ltrustrum of a rectangular pyramid, and slidably connected handle men1- bers connected to said plate and blade above said plate to manipulate them and arranged to guide said blade for upward and downward movement along the inclined line of: intersection of the planes of said wings.

12. A dipper comprising a top plate, a scoop blade slidable relatively to said top plate to be projected below and retracted above said plate and having two flat wings arranged at an angle to one another and whose side edges are straight and converge toward the lower end of the blade so as to COI'TQ. spond with thecorners at the side edges of two adjacent side walls of an ice cream or similar pail having the shape of the itrustrum of a rectangular pyramid, said blade having a web portion between and connecting the upper ends of said wings, and means above said plate between said plateand web portion for guiding said blade for upward and downward movement along the inclined line of intersection of the planes of said wings.

13. A dipper comprising a top plate, blades slidable upwardly and downwardly relative- 1y to said plate along downwardly converging lines, and upwardly diverging guiding means extending upwardly from said plate and spaced inwardly from said blades and margin of the plate, said blades having portions at their upper ends extending over said plate and engaging said guiding means.

ldfAdipper comprising a top plate, in-

clined blades slidable along downwardly converging straight lines to beprojected below and retracted above said plate, and upwardly diverging inclined arms secured to and extending upwardly from said plate and spaced inwardly from said blades and margin of the plate, said blades having portions at their upper ends extending over said plate and slidably engaging said arms. j 15. A dipper comprisingya top plate, separate blades slidable upwardly and down wardly relatively to said plate, and upwardly extending arms secured to said plate, said blades having web portions at their upper ends extending over said plate and slidable on said arms to individually guide the blades for upward and downward movement.

16. A dipper comprising a top plate, upwardly extending arms connected thereto, a yoke connecting said arms, and blades each slidably engaging one of said arms and slidable relatively to said plate to be projected below and retracted above said plate.

1'7. A dipper comprising a top plate, upwardly extending arms connected thereto, a yoke connecting said arms, blades slidable relatively to said plate to be projected below and retractedabove said plate and-having portions slidable on said arms and handle means slidable in said yoke and connected with said portions of the blades.

18. A dipper comprising a top plate, blades each of angular cross-section slidable relatively to said plate to be projected below and retracted above said plate, and means above said plate between said plate and blades for guiding the blades for straight line sliding movement relatively to the top plate.

19. A dipper comprising a top plate, blades each e f-angular cross-section slidable relatively to said plate to be projected below and retracted above said plate, and means above said plate between said plate and blades for guiding said blades along downwardly converging straight lines for sliding movement relatively to the top plate.

20. Adipper comprising a top plate having an outline corresponding to that of the mouth of a pail having the shape of the inverted frustrum of rectangular pyramid, and two diagonally opposite blades slidably connected with said plate to be projected below and retracted above said plate, each blade being of angular cross-section and disposed astride the corresponding corner of said plate, and having flat inclined wings of a shape corre sponding to those of the corresponding side walls of said pail.

21. A dipper comprising a rectangular top plate having an outline corresponding to that of the mouth of a pail having the shape of the retracted above said plate, each blade being of angular cross-section and disposed astride the corresponding corner of said plate, and having flat inclined wings of a shape corre sponding to those of the corresponding side walls of said pail, and means between said plate and blades for guiding the blades for upward and downward movement relatively to said plate along the lines of intersection of the planes of the wings of 'said blades.

10 In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

MONROE E. MILLER.

so i 

